Chrys
Abdullahi Ganduje, immediate past governor of Kano, says he
could have slapped Rabiu Kwankwaso, his predecessor if he had met him at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Ganduje spoke on Friday after a meeting with President Bola
Tinubu on the security situation and the ongoing demolition exercise in Kano.
The former governor said he visited the villa to report
Kwankwaso to the president, adding that some of the demolitions were carried
out on the directive of his predecessor.
While delivering his inaugural speech on May 29, Abba Yusuf,
governor of Kano, directed security agencies to revoke all public properties
sold during Ganduje’s administration.
Yusuf said the properties were acquired and built illegally,
adding that revoking them was not an attempt to go against the previous
administration.
The governor had also said the demolition exercise was to
fulfil part of his campaign promises to “restore” the urban development
masterplan of the city.
Some of the buildings recently demolished in the state are
the Haji camp, Daula Hotel, and shopping complexes around the Eid Prayer Ground
in Kano.
The former governor expressed concern over the demolition
exercise, adding that “we don’t want it to result into religious or tribal
conflict. Thousands of traders have been rendered without any business”.
Ganduje said the demolition was “illegal” as it was carried
out without proper investigation or due notice by the provisions of the land
use act.
“We appointed a technical committee right from the
beginning. They submitted a report to the executive council. The executive
council approved the PPP project,” he said.
“The PPP project is 90 percent executed, but now without any
investigation, without any notice, this new government under the directive of
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso demolished the building. The issue is in a court
of law.”
The former governor said he has briefed the president on the
matter and had petitioned Usman Alkali, inspector-general of police (IGP), with
video evidence of the looting and vandalization that followed the demolition.
He described the governor as a “stooge” to Kwankwaso, adding
that one of the affected developers has sued the government, demanding
compensation of N10 billion.
Both the former governor and his predecessor were at the
Villa at the same time to see the president.
Responding to whether the issue has been resolved, the
former governor said “I know that he is in the building. But we did not meet
inside. I would have slapped him if I met him inside”.
